Monday 27 July 2020

Kettering hospital's first Covid-19 death for 19 days follows health chiefs' concern over rise in cases

Kettering hospital's first Covid-19 death for 19 days follows health chiefs' concern over rise in cases Covid-19 has claimed its first victim in 19 days at Kettering General Hospital.

This latest death — the 218th at KGH during the pandemic — occurred on Thursday but was only revealed in today's NHS bulletin. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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Long-serving Irchester NHS worker Ceri-Anne to brave the shave for KGH to mark retirement

Long-serving Irchester NHS worker Ceri-Anne to brave the shave for KGH to mark retirement A long-serving NHS worker will brave the shave on her retirement to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and Kettering General Hospital's new cancer resource centre. Northamptonshire Telegraph

New Obesity Strategy unveiled as country urged to lose weight to beat coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect the NHS

New Obesity Strategy unveiled as country urged to lose weight to beat coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect the NHS A raft of measures have been revealed as part of the government’s new obesity strategy to get the nation fit and healthy, protect themselves against COVID-19 and protect the NHS.

Obesity is one of the biggest health crises the country faces. Almost two-thirds (63%) of adults in England are overweight or living with obesity – and 1 in 3 children leave primary school overweight or obese, with obesity-related illnesses costing the NHS £6 billion a year. Department of Health and Social Care

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Childcare costs for doctors to be covered in drive to boost GP numbers

Childcare costs for doctors to be covered in drive to boost GP numbers The NHS has launched a new scheme to encourage hundreds more doctors to return to general practice by offering help towards the costs of caring for children or family members. NHS England

Coronavirus: UK brings back 14-day quarantine for Spain

Coronavirus: UK brings back 14-day quarantine for Spain Travellers returning to the UK from Spain after midnight will have to quarantine for 14 days, the government has said. 

The decision came following a spike in coronavirus cases in Spain, with more than 900 new cases of the virus reported on Friday.

Spanish officials have also warned a second wave could be imminent as major cities have seen cases surge. BBC News

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NHS maternity safety to come under investigation after scandals involving mother and baby deaths

NHS maternity safety to come under investigation after scandals involving mother and baby deaths The safety of maternity services in the NHS are to be investigated by MPs after a string of scandals, highlighted by The Independent, involving the deaths of mothers and babies. 

The Health and Social Care Select Committee, chaired by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, has announced it will hold an inquiry into why maternity incidents keep re-occurring and what needs to be done to improve safety. The Independent

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Concern for England's mental health patients discharged at start of lockdown

Concern for England's mental health patients discharged at start of lockdown Nearly 2,500 additional patients were discharged from mental health units across England at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, prompting concern that vulnerable people were released into the community before they were ready.

Official data analysed by the charity Mind showed 11,829 patients were discharged from mental health units in March 2020, a sharp rise from 9,836 last year and up by 2,441 from the February before lockdown started. The Guardian

Over-40s in UK to pay more tax under plans to fix social care crisis

Over-40s in UK to pay more tax under plans to fix social care crisis Exclusive: Matt Hancock is advocate of plan to raise tax to cover cost of care in later life

Everyone over 40 would start contributing towards the cost of care in later life under radical plans being studied by ministers to finally end the crisis in social care, the Guardian can reveal.